Casting Call: Could You Be a Reality Host?

Casting Call: Could You Be a Reality Host?

Insider tips on auditioning for reality casting directors!

-Barbara Barna Abel

Dear Bettys, I’m deep in the casting cave looking for the Host and Interior Designer for Clean House New York for the Style Network. This is a super fun project – NYC will have a bit more edge than the LA original — and I can’t wait for the show to hit air later this year. People who need help with clutter are everywhere! And so are the casting opportunities!

My casting bestie and colleague, Sean De Simone, just finished Rocco’s Dinner Party for Bravo (can’t wait!!) and is now traveling the country looking for new hosts for QVC. In case you don’t know, Mike Rowe – the face of the Discovery channel and Ford, not to mention one of America’s most eligible bachelors – started his TV career as a host on QVC. This is an amazing opportunity. And competitive. Sean has talked to, met or screened submissions from 15,000 would be QVC hosts since 2008.

Sean and QVC are looking for stylish, friendly, credible, entertaining and sincere men and women who are 25 and up with a background in TV hosting, radio, live events, trade shows and dynamic sales who are willing to relocate to suburban Philadelphia and be ready to work hard, starting in overnight shifts.

Sean is auditioning people in New York at the end of April and in LA mid-May. Meanwhile, you can live anywhere to submit as Sean accepts video and material continuously and travels to other cities as well.

I asked Sean what it takes to be a QVC host and he said, “Personality, personality, personality.”

If you are lucky enough to get an audition with Sean, here’s his advice for a knockout audition:

*Own the room but don’t take it over. *A lot of people make the mistake of scripting and that’s not what I’m looking for. I ask you to prep a product to sell but don’t over rehearse or memorize. I want you to be familiar and have the vocabulary but don’t want you to sound robotic. The sell needs to come from a very real place or you lose all credibility.

If you think you have what it takes, email a recent photo, your resume, contact info (including city where you live), link to your website (if available) and a brief letter describing why you would be great on QVC to QVChostcasting@gmail.com.

About Barbara Barna Abel:

Barbara Barna Abel is the President of ABEL INTERMEDIA LLC, a Casting and Talent Development firm specializing in non-fiction, alternative and reality programming, private coaching and personal branding across the media spectrum. Among her finds: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s Fab Five, Clinton Kelly of What Not To Wear, Adam Richman of Man vs Food and comedian Beth Melewski in the upcoming Cash Cab Chicago. Visit her at barbarabarnacasting.com. Tweet her: @barbarabarna